Ceasefire on Tajik-Kyrgyz border collapses

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Sep 2022 20:14

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan border ceasefire agreed upon on Friday has collapsed following alleged shelling from both sides.

Tajik-Kyrgyz border ceasefire collapses (AP)

Ceasefire on Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border collapses after Tajik military fired at Kyrgyz two border guard settlements near the Kyrgyzstan border.

Kyrgyzstan border service reported that the heads of intelligence services of both countries had agreed, on Friday, starting at 10:00 GMT ceasefire.

According to Kyrgyzstan, a border service spokesperson said that "Violating the agreements reached, the Tajik side again opened fire on the positions of the Kyrgyz border guards in the settlements of Kulundu and Jany-Jer of the Leilek region."

Noting that "The use of a multiple launch rocket system by the Tajik side was recorded in the Batken region," the spokesperson stated that since 12:30GMT there has been tension at the Kyrgyz-Tajik border section added the spokesperson.

Both sides leveled accusations of shelling against one another. According to the Tajik side, one Tajik border guard was killed and three others were injured after shelling from Kyrgyz territory. On the other hand, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health reported two deaths and 55 injuries.

Former Soviet pasts

Both countries host Russian military bases and have cordial and close ties with Moscow. The EU and the US have recently sought to meddle in Russia's foreign allies' affairs with the most recent offer the US has made by promising support for Armenia and Azerbaijan in solving their conflict. The intent in doing so is to downplay Russia's influence over the Caucasus and its allies.

Temur Umarov, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace focusing on Central Asia, said the remote and mostly agricultural villages in the conflict do not pose an economical significance, but that both nations have considered them politically significant, adding that both governments have relied on what he called "populist, nationalist rhetoric" that escalated the border situation, making the cessation of the conflict impossible.

Central Asia analyst, Alexander Knyazev, said the sides showed no will to resolve the conflict peacefully and the mutual territorial claims provoked aggressive attitudes on all levels, suggesting that only third-party peacekeepers or mediators could prevent further conflicts by establishing a demilitarised zone in the area.